


Marks

by booksandboxsets



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-06-27
Packaged: 2018-02-06 10:50:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1855342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booksandboxsets/pseuds/booksandboxsets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ian and Mickey are marked with each other's names, soulmates. But one mark on each other is not enough, they have to leave several.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Marks

**Author's Note:**

> i've jumped onto the soulmate bandwagon, i hope i did it right lol.  
> warning: there are mentions of self harm, abuse and homophobia.  
> and some sappiness.

_I._

Mickey Milkovich had not been born with a mark, meaning that his soulmate hadn't been born yet. This was good, it meant that he passed his father's inspection. A couple of years later however and Mickey's mark had formed, along with a sense of dread in the pit of his mother's stomach. Luckily it was on his foot; that meant it would be easy enough to hide. 

She always made sure that the mark was cloaked by shoes or socks, sometimes even concealing it with her own foundation, the heavy duty kind that she used to mask the bruises; anything to ensure that her husband never saw the small mark on the side of her child's foot. As soon as Mickey was old enough, even if he didn't understand why he had to, she had taught him to cover it up himself. 

Terry Milkovich could never find out that his son had been marked with a boy's name.

**

Ian Gallagher had been born with a mark on his foot, and neither of his parents had batted an eyelid at it. The doctor had informed his mother to hide it, and she had, but not out of fear of her husband.

She had also taught her son to cover it, but she made it explicitly clear that it was nothing to be ashamed of. He never had to do so around the house, around his own family; just whilst he out and about in the neighbourhood.  

The Gallagher's knew that their son had been marked with a boy's name, and they treated him as they did any of their other children. Albeit that treatment included a lot of neglect, but at least it was equal.

 

_II._

Mickey skipped school whenever he had a sports lesson. Everyone knew it was because he didn't want to get changed in front of people, but he was a Milkovich so none of his peers would call him out, feared him too much to say anything. The teachers would never question it either, they assumed that the kid was always absent because he was ashamed of the bruises, the same as his younger sister. They had seen the way she cowered in the corner whilst getting into sports gear, so it was a natural presumption that her older brother didn't want to reveal the splotches of colour left on him by his father.

They could never know that he was trying to hide a different mark, a mark on the inner side of his left foot. He was probably being overly careful, but he couldn't risk it. 

**

Ian didn't avoid sports lessons, he wasn't going to let a little mark stop him from participating in something he enjoyed, and it usually wasn't an issue, he could just keep his socks on. Problems only arose when they were playing something like soccer, when they were expected to change into knee high socks to go with their studded boots. His classmates wondered why he put the socks over the ones he already had on, he told them he was paranoid of blisters and they believed him; on the rare occasions that they had caught a glimpse of his feet, he had always had a plaster on the inner side of his left foot. 

Whenever he stole one of said plasters from the Kash and Grab he felt dirty, feeling even dirtier when he stripped back the paper and stuck it over the top of something he was actually proud of. But he wasn't stupid, he knew that the area he lived in wouldn't accept his mark, he just hoped that his soulmate would. 

 

_III._

The part of his body Mickey Milkovich hated the most was his left foot, more specifically the small slice of skin on the inner side of it that said the word  _'ian'._  It was a sick reminder of the part of himself he hated even more than his mark; the part of him that was undeniably gay, despite how desperately he tried to ignore it.

So when he was fifteen, after masturbating in the shower whilst thinking about a guy, he looked down at his foot with feelings of self-disgust and decided that he didn't want the reminder any longer. The Milkovich household had a variety of blades he could chose from to remove it, so that's exactly what he did, a tear rolling down his face as he slashed at the small bit of skin.

**

The part of his body Ian Gallagher loved the most was his left foot, more specifically the small slice of skin on the inner side of it that said the word  _'mickey'._   It was a promising reminder that one day he would not feel so alone, one day he would find someone other than Rodger Spikey or Kash, someone who meant something.

So when he was fifteen, after masturbating in the shower thinking about whoever this Mickey was, he looked down at his foot impatiently and decided that he didn't want the reminder any longer, he wanted the real thing. 

 

_IV._

Mickey didn't want his his sister brining home someone named Ian, didn't want to feel some kind of unexplainable pull towards the kid, didn't want to be reminded of something he thought he had got rid of.

But it was no longer a small mark on his skin, easily cut away, someone without a face. Ian was now here in his actual and astounding presence, and it was becoming more and more difficult to deny his existence.

**

Ian had wanted to be led to someone named Mickey, had wanted to feel some kind of unexplainable pull towards his soulmate, had wanted to begin a relationship that was meant to last a lifetime.

But it was no longer a fantasy, clouded with otherworldly visions and romance filled expectations, his mind free to romp like the mind of God. The Mickey of Ian's deepest dreams now had a face, and it was becoming more and more difficult not to be disappointed by it.

 

_V._

Mickey had finally broke, he was no longer able to hold up the walls of denial, no longer able to distance himself from the force that was Ian Gallagher. And he found himself wondering why he hadn't allowed himself to break earlier.

They spoke, they kissed, they loved each other completely. It was something Mickey could have never have imagined himself having, hadn't even known how much he had yearned for it, whatever it was. Ian was his soulmate, Ian with his red hair and his freckles had found a way to make another mark on Mickey, but it was no longer on the side of his foot. Ian had marked Mickey's heart, had marked his very existence.  

**

Ian had finally got through, he had finally been able to smash down Mickey's walls, after chipping away at them for so long, only managing to make tiny cracks in the cement, he had done it. And he found himself wondering why he had ever thought about giving up.

They spoke, they kissed, they loved each other completely. It was everything that Ian had imagined himself having, as well as a whole lot more. Mickey was his soulmate, Mickey with his almost-black hair and his blue eyes had somehow transformed into all that Ian had ever wanted. Ian was no longer disillusioned by Mickey, he was illuminated. 

 

_VI._

Mickey had something that none of his family had ever had, he had a home, a safe place, and it was in the form of a tall, muscular, ginger man. He sighed as Ian marked his neck with kisses and his hips with bruises, feeling nothing but bliss. 

**

Ian had something that none of his family had ever had, he had a trusting, honest relationship, and it was with a little ball of rage and sarcasm. He moaned as Mickey marked his collarbones with bite marks and his back with scratches, feeling nothing but pleasure. 

 

_VII._

The part of his body Mickey Milkovich hated the most was still his left foot, more specifically the small scar on the inner side of it that had once been the word  _'ian'._  It was a sick reminder of how much he used to despise the greatest thing in his life; his soulmate. 

So when he was twenty one, after Ian stroked his thumb across the little scar, something he had done since the start, Mickey looked down at his foot with feelings of regret and decided that he didn't want the reminder any longer. The neighbourhood had an abundance of tattoo parlours he could chose from to correct it, so that's exactly what he did, a smile lighting up his face as the needle re-wrote the word  _'ian'_ onto the patch of skin.

**

The part of his body Ian Gallagher loved the most was still his left foot, more specifically the small slice of skin on the inner side of it that said the word  _'mickey'_  . It was an encouraging reminder that he would never be alone, that he had someone who meant something, someone who meant everything.

So when he was twenty one, after spending a lonely night away from Mickey, he looked down at his foot and decided that he wanted a second reminder. So the next day he went out and brought a pair of rings.

 

_VIII._

Mickey had never expected to get married, but here he was, standing at the end of an isle in an uncomfortable suit. He looked up into the eyes of his groom and the scene didn't feel so strange any more, this was right.

He heard his sister crying in the background but all of his attention was focused on the man in front of him, he was so beautiful. Mickey used the word reluctantly, but that didn't mean it wasn't true.

The green eyes he was staring into suddenly started to become glossy, filling up with salt water that threatened to become an ocean. Mickey was sure that his own eyes looked the same.  

**

Ian had always wanted to get married, and here he finally was, standing at the end of an isle in a haze of happiness. He waited until his groom's eyes met his own and he knew that this was something that they both wanted, it wasn't just him.

He heard his sisters crying in the background but all of his attention was focused on the man in front of him, he was so beautiful. Mickey would disagree when Ian told him so, but that didn't mean it wasn't true.

The blue eyes he was staring into suddenly spilt over and a tear rolled down Mickey's cheek. Ian brought up his hand and wiped it away; it was hopeless, another drop of water escaping, replacing the one Ian had caught. They would both end the night marked with tear-stains. 

 

_IX._

Mickey was getting older now, and it seemed as if he was unable to climb up the stairs without having to stop and catch his breath. But somehow he always had the energy for Ian. 

So a week later when Ian decided that a fun activity for two old men would be ice skating, Mickey had agreed. He now had a massive bruise on his elbow after slipping over, but at least he had taken Ian down with him, they had always fallen together. 

**

Ian was getting older now, and it seemed as if he was unable to put down his keys without immediately forgetting where he had left them. But somehow he was always able to remember every word Mickey said to him.

So a week after Mickey made a passing comment about how he craved spaghetti and meatballs, Ian had the dish laid out for him when he walked through the door. He had burnt himself in the process of cooking it, but the smile on Mickey's face made up for that. 

 

_X._

Mickey Milkovich had had an eventful life to say the least, but most of all it had been a fulfilled one; fulfilled with ginger hair that had long since turned white, and muscles that had been replaced with wrinkles. Both versions of Ian Gallagher, the young and the old, had been a privilege to love.

This was Mickey's last thought as he drifted off into permanent slumber, he didn't want to leave his soulmate alone, could hear Ian begging him to stay, but he couldn't hold on any longer.

**

Ian looked down at their entwined hands and felt his soulmate's grasp become limp within his own, feeling the better part of himself slip away with Mickey's last breath. He was empty. 

He kicked off his shoe and looked down at the patch of skin on the inside of his left foot, it was unblemished. Ian had become a clean canvas. Nothing was there to remind him that he wasn't alone because he was, he was completely and utterly lost.  

He looked back at their hands, looked at the rings on them, and although he had lost his first reminder, although he now had a clear patch of skin instead of a mark, the thin bands of metal were still there. Mickey and his mark may be gone, but he was still Ian's soulmate. Always had been, always would be. Ian just had to hold on for a while longer before joining him again.


End file.
